"Myths which are believed in tend to become true"

George Orwell suggests a profound observation about the relationship between beliefs and reality. Myths, stories or ideas widely regarded as untrue or exaggerated, gain a peculiar power the moment enough people accept them as truth. Collective belief transforms these myths from mere fabrications or cultural tales into forces that influence actions, shape institutions, and mold society’s values. When people act as if a myth is true, governing their behavior, policymaking, or social interactions based on it, the consequences become real, regardless of the myth’s factual basis.

Across history and psychology, examples abound. Nations have built identities around founding stories, not always historically accurate, but revered as essential truths that guide patriotism and decision-making. Economies sometimes hinge on shared beliefs: the value of currency, for instance, persists solely through collective faith. Even non-material myths, about meritocracy, social hierarchies, or what constitutes success, define people’s opportunities, choices, and self-perceptions.

Orwell’s insight also warns of the dangers inherent in unexamined myths. When society unquestioningly accepts an idea as fact, the myth shapes legal systems, enforces social norms, and justifies inequalities. Myths provide legitimacy to authorities, wars, prejudices, and ideologies, making them self-fulfilling prophecies. This process reveals myth’s dual nature as both a unifying, motivating force and a potential instrument of control or oppression.

Furthermore, the endurance of such myths can make them resistant to factual disproof. Any counter-evidence might be dismissed or rationalized away, solidifying the myth’s hold. In turn, individuals and societies become entwined in a narrative loop: the myth informs action, action reinforces the myth’s credibility, and the boundary between fiction and reality blurs. Orwell thus underscores both the creative and destructive capacities of shared belief, urging critical questioning of the ideas we inherit and propagate.